Los transgénicos en la alimentación

Contrariamente a lo que mucha gente piensa, emplear genética en la alimentación y la nutrición no es nuevo. Desde hace 12000 años, en los albores de la agricultura y la ganadería, el hombre, ha mejorado las razas de animales de granja y las variedades vegetales comestibles utilizando técnicas genéticas (García Olmedo, 2009). Comenzó domesticando estos organismos y acabó mejorándolos mediante el empleo de genética (Reichholf, 2009). Para ello utilizó varias técnicas. De entre todas ellas las más utilizadas han sido la hibridación, conocida como cruce sexual, y la aparición de mutantes espontáneos, también llamada variabilidad natural

Transgénicos, nutrigenética y nutrigenómica en alimentación

L'article explica l'abast dels termes relatius a la biotecnologia alimentària, i va dirigit als consumidors interessats a comprendre les noves àrees del coneixement sobre els aliments i als professionals del sector que volen estar al dia de les noves tecnologies i de les orientacions que cal seguir en un futur proper.This article explains the range of the different terms related to food biotechnology. It is addressed to consumers interested in understanding new areas of knowledge with regard to food and to professionals of this sector who want to be up-to-date in the new technologies and the directions that will be followed in the upcoming future

Daniel Ramón Vidal: "Als científics, se'ns veu com a freaks"

Daniel Ramon és director científic i conseller delegat de l'empresa biotecnològica Biópolis S.L., i també conseller delegat en una altra, Lifesequencing S.L., dedicada a la seqüenciació genòmica massiva, dues iniciatives empresarials situades al Parc Científic de la Universitat de València. Però abans d'estar en la primera línia empresarial, Ramón va fer carrera acadèmica com a catedràtic de Tecnologia dels Aliments de la Universitat de València, on prèviament s'havia llicenciat i doctorat en Ciències Biològiques. Ha exercit també de professor d'investigació a l'Institut d'Agroquímica i Tecnologia d'Aliments (IATA). Aquest científic, d'itinerari professional singular, és, a més, membre del Comitè Científic de l'Agència Espanyola de Seguretat Alimentària i Nutrició, i del Consell Rector del Consell Superior d'Investigacions Científiques. El seu treball Els gens que mengem, publicat el 1997, que va rebre el premi europeu de divulgació científica Estudi General, és un assaig sobre la biotecnologia dels aliments. El 2007, el Ministeri de Ciència li va atorgar el Premi Nacional d'Investigació Juan de la Cierva

New data on the chronology of Pleistocene glaciation in the NW of the Iberian Peninsula

[Abstract] The age of glacial features subaerial exposition: polished surfaces and morainic blocks using cosmogenic isotopes in granite substrate areas of the NW Iberian Peninsula have permitted to distinguish several glacier phases in which until the moment was considered a single one attributed to the Würm. The resulting data are roughly consistent with the previous geomorphologic model for the area and improves the chronological accuracy and the understanding of the Pleistocene glacial dynamics in the NW Spain. The proposed sequence of events also fits very well with previous palaeoclimate reconstructions for the same period at world scale

Transformants of <i>Trichoderma longibrachiatum</i> overexpressing the beta-1,4-endoglucanase gene <i>egl1</i> show enhanced biocontrol of <i>Pythium ultimum</i> on cucumber

Nine transformants of Trichoderma longibrachiatum with extra copies of the egl1 gene were studied for mitotic stability, endoglucanase production, and biocontrol activity against Pythium ultimum on cucumber seedlings. The transformants showed a significantly higher level of expression of the egl1 gene in comparison to the wild type under both inducing and noninducing growth conditions. Transformants with the egl1 gene under the control of a constitutive promoter had the highest enzymatic activity. Both the endoglucanase activity and the transforming sequences were stable under nonselective conditions. When applied to cucumber seeds sown in P. ultimum-infested soil, T. longibrachiatum transformants with increased inducible or constitutive egl1 expression generally were more suppressive than the wild-type strain

Implicaciones paleoecológicas inferidas de la caracterización isotópica (δ13C,δ15N) del colágeno óseo de Ursus spelaeus ROS.-HEIN.

[Abstract] Stable isotopic signatures measured in bone collagen provide with data related to the species diet type. In this paper we compare δ13C and δ15N outcomes in Ursus spelaeus ROS.-HEIN. Bone remains from Liñares site and Cova Eirós site (Galicia, NW of the Iberian Peninsula). Some data on fossil Ursus arctos L. and Pleistocene Cervus elaphus L. from Galician caves are also presented, as a first approach to distinguish paleodiets of different species inferred from their isotopic signatures. Once all data have been analyzed with proper statistical tools and since this work was planned in order to reduce variation in stable isotopic signals caused by metabolic causes, we may assume that the observed differences between both studied groups are exclusively due to environmental factors and show a migration of the cave bear population in the Serra do Courel mountains from higher to lower altitudes because of the transition from warm climatic conditions to colder ones

Stable and radioactive cosmogenic elements in Spain

[Abstract] Historically, the greatest difficulty in geomorphology work has been the absolute dating of geomorphological surfaces, which reaches its maximum when the surface lacks any type of coating. It is then that the only criterion is either the creative imagination or the use of stable cosmogenic isotopes and, failing that, of radioactive ones, since as long as the stability of a surface can be guaranteed, the method will give an absolute age for the surface. Dating has different precision depending on which isotope is used. In the case of stable cosmogenics there is no age limitation, although in others (radioactive cosmogenics) it would be limited by the half-life of the isotope used. The detailed analysis of the geological and geomorphological history of the analyzed surface should never be neglected, more than in any other type of dating.[Resumen] Desde siempre la mayor dificultad en los trabajos de geomorfología ha sido la datación absoluta de superficies geomorfológicas que llegan al máximo cuando la superficie carece de cualquier tipo de recubrimiento. Es entonesc cuando el único criterio es, o la imaginación creativa o el uso de los isótopos cosmogénicos estables y en su defecto de los radioactivos ya que siempre que se pueda garantizar la estabilidad de una superficie el método dará una edad absoluta para la superficie. La datación tiene una precisión diferente según cual sea el isótopo utilizado. Para el caso de los cosmogénicos estables no hay limitación de edad aunque en otros (cosmogénicos radioactivos) estaría limitada por la vida media del isótopo utilizado. No debe nunca desdeñarse, mas que en cualquier otro tipo de datación, el análisis detallado de la historia geológica y geomorfológica de la superficie analizada

El internacionalismo médico cubano en la memoria: un contenido de enseñanza/The Cuban medical internationalism in the memory: a content for the teaching

La introducción de la historia del internacionalismo médico cubano como contenido contextual en el proceso de formación de las nuevas generaciones de médicos, constituye una necesidad para enfrentar la desinformación con la que enemigos de Cuba atentan contra su identidad y es una alternativa eficaz desde la didáctica, para la formación del médico. Este ensayo se propone argumentar desde la didáctica la importancia del internacionalismo como contenido contextual, para la formación del médico, en el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de la disciplina Preparación para la Defensa, lo que permite el establecimiento de nexos con elementos propios de la cultura de la profesión, conducentes a un proceso contextualizado y desarrollador como el que demanda la sociedad cubana

A voltammetric e-tongue tool for the emulation of the sensorial analysis and the discrimination of vegetal milks

[EN] The relevance of plant-based food alternatives to dairy products, such as vegetable milks, has been growing in recent decades, and the development of systems capable of classifying and predicting the sensorial profile of such products is interesting. In this context, a methodology to perform the sensorial analysis of vegetable milks (oat, soya, rice, almond and tiger nut), based on 12 parameters, was validated. An electronic tongue based on the combination of eight metals with pulse voltammetry was also tested. The current intensity profiles are characteristic for each non-dairy milk type. Data were processed with qualitative (PCA, dendrogram) and quantitative (PLS) tools. The PCA statistical analysis showed that when using three first principal components, which covered 77% of variance, the eight samples can be differentiated, and the preparation method (artisanal milks or commercial) is one of the main differentiation factors, together with raw material type. The PLS statistical analysis allowed models to be created to predict all 12 sensorial parameters. The goodness of the predictions depends on the parameter being particularly accurate for the body, the granularity in the wall of glass and homogeneity of colour. The results strongly suggest the potential feasibility of using electronic tongues as systems for easy, rapid and effective sensorial assessments of vegetable milks. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.The authors thank the financial support from the Spanish Government (Project MAT2015-64139-C4-1-R) and the Generalitat Valenciana (Project PROMETEOII/2014/047).Pascual, L.; Gras Romero, ML.; Vidal Brotons, DJ.; Alcañiz Fillol, M.; Martínez-Máñez, R.; Ros-Lis, JV. (2018). A voltammetric e-tongue tool for the emulation of the sensorial analysis and the discrimination of vegetal milks. Sensors and Actuators B Chemical. 270:231-238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2018.04.151S23123827